1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a computer system having a screen saver with a power shutdown function and a control method thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a computer system having a screen saver with a power shutdown function which terminates all programs and the operating system program, and then shuts down the power to the computer system if there has been no input for a predetermined time while the screen saver is operating under an operating system program.
2. Related Art
With the increased use of computers, there has been a surge in new development of hardware and software designed to conserve energy. One method used to conserve energy in computers is to cause the computer to enter a sleep mode during periods when the computer is not being used. A sleep mode can be a mode where a computer consumes less energy than when it is in its normal operating state.
Sometimes a screen saver program is operated when a computer is not being used. A screen saver program can be used to reduce display degradation that occurs when an image remains on a cathode ray tube (CRT) for an extended period of time. Conventionally, a screen saver mode is initiated when a computer is idle (not used) for a predetermined time. When the screen saver mode is initiated, information displayed on a computer monitor is blanked out or replaced by other images. Once a screen saver mode is initiated, the screen saver mode remains active until an operator inputs information using a keyboard or mouse. While the screen saver mode is active, if an operator inputs information using a keyboard or mouse the screen saver mode will be thereby terminated. When the screen saver mode is terminated, the information which was replaced by other images is again displayed on the computer monitor. A problem with screen savers is as follows. When there is no operator input for an extended period of time, the screen saver program continues to operate and power is thereby wasted.
Examples of screen savers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,535 for Screen Saver for Exhibiting Artists and Artwords issued to Harbin et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,185 for Automatic Termination of Screen Saver Mode on a Display of Reproduction Apparatus issued to Altrieth III et al.
Examples of methods and devices used to conserve energy are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,819 for Process and Apparatus for Generating Power Management Events in a Computer System issued to Dunnihoo, U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,832 for Power-Supply Control Apparatus for Image Processing Apparatus issued to Takeda, U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,257 for Power-Supply Controller of Computer issued to Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,565 for Method and Apparatus for Screen Power Saving issued to Reinhardt, U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,524 for Optimized Power Supply System for Computer Equipment issued to Kikinis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,252 for Computer Monitor Power-Saving Device issued to Huang, U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,516 for Energy Saving Image-Forming Apparatus and Control Method Therefor issued to Kim, U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,693 for Computer with Power Saving Function issued to Nakazoe, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,961 for Screen Blanker for a Monitor of a Computer System issued to Cheng.
Pertaining to a computer power off-power on cycle, a method for suspending/resuming software applications on a computer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,340 for Apparatus and Method for Suspending and Resuming Software Application on a Computer issued to Morita et al.
Although presently there do exist screen savers lengthening the life of computer monitors, and although presently there do exist systems with energy conserving features, I have discovered that it would be desirable to develop an enhanced energy conserving feature to further reduce the energy that is consumed unnecessarily.